Friday, May 24, 2013

Glory be to the only One who exists

Day in, day out, as we embrace the coming and going of our days, we tend to take for granted the reality of our existence and the One who truly exists.

Shaykh Fahmi Zamzam Al-Maliki in one of his Al-Hikamlecture series at Ba'alawi KL said, "It's not that difficult to know Allah. Is it?"

There are two types of existence:

mawjud hakiki

mawjud majazi

Mawjud hakiki means there is no end to that existence, and that it truly exists. And that is the essence of Allah. Mawjud majazi means its existence is borrowed. In reality it does not exist. That's us, you and me. Consider this. We were not in existence. Then we came into being. And then we will go back to being non-existent.

There are three levels of zikr:

ma'bud

ma'sud

mawjud

The zikir for ma'bud is la ilaha illAllah. There is no God but Allah. The zikir for ma'sud is Ilahi anta maqsudi wa redhaka matlubi. Meaning: the Lord is my aim and His mercy is my goal. The zikir for mawjud is la mawjudillAllah. Nothing exists save Allah.

"People have the tendency to misunderstand and complicate the wahdatul wujud teachings attributed to Shaykh Ibn Al-Arabi," said Shaykh Fahmi. But in actual fact, it's very simple. All it means is that in reality (hakiki) nothing exists except Allah.

God says to the Prophet, "It's not you who threw, but I." In reality it is He who performed the action of throwing.

It's not too difficult to know Allah. Because the only existence there is, is Allah, His Essence. He is wujud hakiki. Everything else simply does not exist. Everything else is nil.

There is a poem of Rabiatul Adawiyah in which she said, everything that is on this earth, belongs to the earth. Your car, your house, people, all belong to the earth. So in other words, in reality, it's not worthwhile so why bother?

The shaykh said: "Know that you are not veiled actually. You are not veiled from knowing (ma'rifat) Him. Nothing veils you from Him. We are very close to Allah. Some people think we are veiled by our nafs. But in actual fact, nothing veils us from Him. It's just your waham(misunderstanding/misconception) that you think you are veiled. If all that exists is He, then what can possibly veil you from Him? He is very close to you. It's very easy to know Him."

If your iman is strong, you would be able to see akhirat now in this dunya. You must feel and think that akhirat is near. Do not mislead yourself thinking it's far.

If Allah had not manifested Himself (tajalli) into the universe, it would not have existed. A thing has a value, only if and when Allah gives a value to it. For example, the Prophet, Allah makes him extraordinary, that is why he is extraordinary. Similarly, the holy lands Makkah and Madinah. These places are holy because Allah tajalli His greatness there. People who are seen as honorable is because Allah manifests His good qualities in them. People who are regarded as knowledgeable ('aleem) that's because He manifests His attribute Al-Aleem in them. Likewise, Ar-Razak, Al-Hakim and so on.

It is Allah who makes all things apparent (zahir). Everything good you see, His attribute is inside it and because He is its outer covering as well. Both zahirand batin, are His bounties. It is Allah who makes our batingood. It is Allah who makes our zahir good. Everything is from Him.

Consider all that exists in the skies and on earth. Consider His Power and Greatness. Do not think what makes up the skies or the earth, but think of the greatness of His creations. May Allah make you understand. Do not stop at what is created by Him or your thinking will just stop there at what is created. But think and consider Him. Do not look at the cup, but consider what is in the cup. This reflection and understanding will bring you to understanding tawhid of Allah. Al-akwaan (the created things/objects/the universe) have value because Allah gives value to them, or they shall not have any value at all.

So ask for greatness from Allah. Ask for value from Allah. Become ahlullah. Become the beloved of Allah. Become an agent of Allah's goodness to mankind. Become a receptacle, a channel of Allah's greatness.

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Allahu a'lam. I seek refuge in Allah for any mistakes or misunderstanding that people might have from this notes. This is very deep. It's best that you refer to a guide/murshid if you require any clarifications.

Lisan al-Din Writer & Editor

This blog was launched in April 2009, in honor of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Mustafa al-Alawi (1869-1934) who founded and directed a weekly publication called 'Lisan al-Din' (Language of Faith) in 1912. Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi, a renowned Algerian Sufi Saint of the 20th century was the founder of the Darqawiya Alawiya order - a branch of the Shadhilli Tariqah. May this blog, its readers and its writer benefit from the grace and blessings of Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi, and all the other shuyukh, past and present, whose names we mention herein. May God's blessings be upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions. Ameen.

LA HAWLA WALA QUWWATA ILLAH BILLAH 'ALIYIL 'AZIMThere is no power and no strength save with Allah, the High, the Great